Financial Safety Nets Shrink: Why More Americans Rely on Small Loans

There’s a growing number of Americans who no longer rely on savings to weather financial uncertainty. In fact, more than one in four U.S. adults report having no emergency savings at all, according to Bankrate’s 2025 Emergency Savings Report.Surprisingly, instead of drawing from savings, many are turning to credit, specifically small-dollar loans. In this article, we’ll explore why so many Americans are increasingly dependent on short-term borrowing just to get by.Inflation and